Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1887-02-26
The Sweet Potato.


md. paper, nearly three years ago, up
on a subject that is now being discussed
In your columns. If you deem it Of
sufficient interest to yonr readers, you
can republish it, or any extracts you
may choose to select.
The statement, SIN Virginia I have
seen the vine in blossom, &C." refers
to Northumberland county. [ cannot
say that any of the blossoming vines
seen there, were those or the Yellow
potato. In tile case Of Mr.. Stewards,
of Dorchester county, Nd, [ am posi-
tive, and many will corroborate the
statement, his vines were of the pure
yellow species. The confidence I ex-
press in the statement, II am sure it
can he DONE" is simply the result OF a
series of microscopic studies of the
flower, from tile unfoldcd bud to the
blown state. M flower has more per-
feet reproductive organs, and llmlcro-
scopic essentials to reproduction, than
the flower of the yellow sweet potato
vine. If L may bapermitted to express
an humble opinion as to the "kinds"
of the sweet potato, it is in substance
this. Probably, the pure pelow, the
Spanish, the old time Ang lila, AIRED
kind. and perhaps few others, a'e true
and distinct species; while all other
kinds" arc variations of the same
species, or, in some cases, hybrids. 1
agree with Lee" that it seems 1mpos-
sible to mix" without poisoning aud
interchange Of pollen. believe with
him that all kinds may be planted side
by side for years without mixing, and
yet, I know that the manipulation OF
man can mix them. Or this I have
most positive knowledge. One instance,
for which | can personally vouch, is
perhaps sufficient. About twelve years
ago, a gentleman in the Northern Neck,
Va, succeeded in evolving hybrid that
was a distinct kind. For several years
the local demand for seeds and plants Of
the tuber was beyond his supply. Buy
ers readily paid more than double the
price asked for other kinds. 1t was the
earlness of the hybrid that made 1t val
liable. It was marketable at least two
or three weeks earlier than the yellow
or hannah potato. All knew that he
produced the hybrid by inserting com.
bilatiOn of different kinds when sbed
ding; but, how he combined them and
the kinds he combined were the secrets
lie kept. The method, how ever, is not
new. ]. r.. STURGIS,
Pungoteague, Feb. 18th, 81.
"In q recent issue of the News. MIR.
Jas. Stewart, OF Sandy Hill, calls atten-
tion to the towering Of sweet potato
vines in his field. am surprised to
learn from Mr.. Stewart and others that
this is the first instance within their
personal knowledge of the blooming of
this plant. have just Intercepted
Dorchester farmer. past 20 years OF age.
and lie tells me: 81 never saw or heard
tell of a potato vine blooming in all my
life BEFORE One sceptic WAS only con-
WINGED by my presenting him with
piece of the vine with the opened flower
in evidence. In Virginia have so fire.
qnently seen the vine in blossom that it
seems remarkable for it to be such a
novelty here.
The fact of its Towering has been as
long, known in botany as the potato it.
self. Indeed, it's classification i'll botany
is based upon a characteristic Of its
/ n, % ai b
: natural order Conyoi1ulict. e 81
potato was classified under the genu.
Convolyulus. But owing to the four
q cclled ovary in this and kindred plants
they were separated from the Convol
: vulus genera and organized as distinct
s genus themselves. So that, in advanced
II botany the sweet potato IS no longel
:. termed Convolvulus batatas, but Batiti!
! edulis, While under the new genus Ba
u tatns other plants were placed that ha(
0 been otherwise classified.
q Whv should this vine bear flower ant
. fruit? [ answer: In order to reproduce
: aud perpetuate the species. The flowe
: has all the essential organs and parts o
) reproduction. The fruit is perfect
J. Nature never entrusts the perpetuatiol
Of plants absolutely into the hands 0
! man. She always guards against ne
y glect and accidents. 1t during the wiz
It ter all the garnered potatoes IN tn
n country should freeze or decay, natur
;, has doubtless provided against the catas
u trophc of extinction by quietly maturin,
e seed during the simmer that fall int
Y her bosom unseen, and silently wait he
n word to terminate, mature and thu
guarantee that seed as well as see,
/ time and harvest shallnot fail" Nheth
or not sweet potatoes have been pro
duced from the seed, I do not know
From Il botanical standpoint, am sur
it can be done. 1t is so easy and has S
:, long been the custom to propagate from
d the tuber itself, that probably no OH
6 has tried or paid much attention to it
. Our old potato fields and patches ar
|, ploughed up and planted the following
d Spring before the seed lii Lhere) coul
: terminate. Or, if a sprout should up
pear we would refer it to a buried tube
at once, and not to seed. In Europe
u where the round POTATO deteriorate
y through successive (Which is also ex
!, cessiye) planting by cuttings or eyes,
the remedy for renewed vigor is foun
in obtaining new seed tubers by plant
/ ing the true seed or potato balls"
II presume the quality. as well as the pow
h er to resist disease would be improve
and Increased in our potatoes of bot
J. kinds by similar methods. The tube
q is not. strictly speaking, a root, bu
d rather an underground branch OF til
II plant. Our method of propagation col
n responds to budding in horticulture
- This is a continuation, but not repro
q ductlon of a species. Excessive cor
al tinuation without occasional reprodut
ia ton is evidently weakening process:
- n 4 "a dat i0l.nt a